March 2, 2025
South Burnett took home the Goodchild Shield trophy after a nailbiting Grand Final played at Murgon Showgrounds last Sunday.
South Burnett went through the earlier rounds of the prestigious four-team Wide Bay competition unbeaten, but Bundaberg proved to be a tough opponent in a low-scoring game.
The visitors won the toss and elected to bat.
The South Burnett bowlers ripped through Bundy in 44 overs, restricting the score to just 102 runs.
Kieran Askin, who was later named Player of the Final, took five wickets – including a sharp caught and bowled – and conceded just 15 runs off 8.3 overs (which included three maidens).
Askin also took a catch in the field.
The other South Burnett bowler to make a big dent was Fletcher Brown, who took 3/16 off seven overs.
South Burnett began strongly enough in reply, with openers Trent Riddell (22) and Harry Sippel (20) both making a start.
However, tight bowling and sharp fielding by Bundaberg limited South Burnett’s scoring opportunities.
While Riddell batted on, a batting collapse at the other end – three ducks in row – left the scoreboard stalled, putting pressure on the South Burnett’s tailenders.
Riley Sippel and Lehman Brunjes then steadied the ship, with Sippel, in particular, guarding stolidly while wickets again began to fall.
South Burnett had plenty of overs in hand, but were running out of batters as they edged closer to the Bundaberg score.
Brenton Polzin, Kieran Askin and Tom Carney batted courageously to add the needed runs at the death knell.
The result came down to the wire, with Bundaberg requiring one wicket for victory, and the South Burnett needing eight runs.
Bundaberg bowlers Sam Collingwood and Samuel Pearson were frustrating the South Burnett batters who were trying to get at least one run per over (the average required for victory).
A four by Carney evened the scores, but then South Burnett supporters held their breath after the next ball when Bundaberg appealed for an LBW against Carney.
Fortunately for the home team, the umpires were unmoved.
Carney then quickly wrapped it up, hitting the winning run, with South Burnett finishing 9/103.
